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From:TheBahamasWeekly.com Bahamas Information Services Updates
FREEPORT, Grand Bahama – Agriculture and Marine Resources Minister, the Hon. Michael Pintard, was on island on Friday, March 26, for the commissioning ceremony of the 25-‐foot Contender Marine Patrol Craft. The Minister acknowledged the eight Marine Resources officers assigned to the Freeport office and added that since 2018, four new staff members had been appointed.
Satellite offices, he said, will be established in both East and West Grand Bahama. These offices will ensure better coverage of the island. The government has invested some $704,000 for the purchase of four Marine Patrol Crafts ranging from 24 to 25 feet in length. In January 2019 a new patrol craft was commissioned in Abaco and one in Eleuthera in April of the same year. Hurricane Dorian, however, damaged vehicles, facilities, and several of the patrol crafts. “We’re excited we are back on track. What countries do is rebound from disasters.” He said that while the country was hurt by not only Dorian but also the COVID-‐19 pandemic, “we are building back stronger than before.”
The patrol crafts are with GPS, VHF radios, strobe lights, sirens and twin four stroke environmentally friendly Yamaha outboard engines. Bimini will be the recipient of the next commissioned patrol craft next month. In addition to the patrol crafts, a fleet of four new trucks have been purchased at a cost of $216,000 as a part of the marine patrol craft package. These will assist with the movement of the vessels around the island, as well as moving them to safety on-‐island in times of natural disaster.
Government assistance through the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources and FAO continues for those fishing operations impacted by Hurricane Dorian through the distribution of fiberglass cloth and resin to assist in small boat repairs; the issuance of recovery grants of up to $50,000 and other soft loans through the SBDC Accelerator Program; and FAO distribution of Casitas/Condos to assist in the replacement of fishing gear loss due to the hurricane, and this will commence next week.
“We have taken a policy position to reserve the Bahamian patrimony, our marine resources, this scarce resource for Bahamians and we ask others who wish to fully enjoy it to cast their lot with us; otherwise we have determined the levels in which they may engage in our environment to benefit from it.” Minister Pintard addressed the National Divers Training Program which has been created to train Bahamian Divers for employment onboard Bahamian vessels; train Bahamians as certified PADI divers; train Bahamians divers in the use of air compressors for diving purposes; train Bahamian divers on symptoms related to Decompression Illness (DCI); train them in First Aid and CPR; compressor maintenance and troubleshooting; and train them in the value of good work ethics and commitment to the job.
There are 21 Grand Bahamians enrolled, and another 20 are expected to be added to this particular cohort. All costs are being absorbed by the government.
The passing of the new Fisheries Act 2020 in December was described by Minister Pintard as significant and is a result of work by both administrations.
It is important that the country strategizes, and in all things marine-‐related -‐-‐ the Blue Economy. A plan of action is being formulated to manage the marine species such as conch and grouper.
The Minister added that if they are going to be effective in this effort, it is important to have more marine craft, such as the one commissioned.
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